When Luxord Gets Serious
by Bardic Knowledge
Summary: Luxord is heralded as able to control Time, but the most we ever see of it is a timed battle with Sora and the "Rewind defense to Level 1" status effect that only enemies can inflict in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. This story is meant to expand on that.


When Luxord Gets Serious

A/N: Okay, Luxord is heralded as able to control Time, but the most we ever see of it is a timed battle with Sora and the "Rewind defense to Level 1" status effect that only enemies can inflict in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days. I've taken an idea from Mr. Garbanzo's "Thoughts of Zexion" about how Luxord thought he was just playing a game with Roxas and therefore was taking it easy on Sora, and decided to write a series of missions where Luxord is using his control over time to the fullest.

Also has some crossover with non-Final Fantasy Squeenix works.

Chapter titles correspond to Roxas' days in the Organization and Luxord's mission count.

Day 100, Mission 196: Vortex

"Your mission today is to investigate a new world," Saix informed Luxord.

"Very well, what do we know of it so far?" Luxord replied.

"The world is currently undergoing a festival, so you are allowed to be seen for this mission as long as you are careful. It also has monsters of its own aside from the Heartless."

"Understood. I shall be on my way." And with that, Luxord entered the portal Saix had opened (he didn't know the world's location yet, after all).

He exited to find himself in a open air marble room, a large pink and red thing standing in front of him. He looked the thing over and concluded by its metallic sound that it was a robot of some kind. He started to walk by it when it started to sing, background music coming from a speaker in its stomach.

"My name is Gato, I have metal joints/Beat me up and earn fifteen Silver Points!" When it finished singing, a new, upbeat song began playing. Luxord looked at it quizzically, standing there until Gato's stomach opened and a boxing glove flew at his head. Luxord dodged and snapped his fingers to temporarily stop time, before throwing several hands of cards into the robot.

Time restarted and the robot sparked a bit. The cards fell out as the holes sealed themselves. Luxord watched as Gato started singing again.

"I lost and you won/Here's fifteen points, now wasn't that fun?" The boxing glove came out again, but this time it was slower, holding two silver coins with a big "10" and "5" on them. He accepted the coin and left.

_This world seems to have high technology, with the self-repairing robot,_ He noted. _Also, they apparently see fighting as a recreation of sorts. Let's see what else this world has to offer._

He wandered around the fairgrounds, monitoring the people. There was a race going on with people in costumes and a cat in the front area, and people would bet on the outcome of a race for more of the Silver Points the robot had given him. Luxord gave it a try and won. Which was particularly easy for him by looking a few minutes into the future, the most he could do without exhausting himself. Nearby was a man selling swords, which struck Luxord as odd, considering the regenerating robot he had fought upon arrival. When he asked where the best place to spend the Silver Points was, he was directed to a large purple tent, where an eccentric genius named Norstein Bekkler had set up a series of games.

As he entered, he saw what appeared to be a face and a pair of hands floating in the air in front of him. The face laughed creepily and moved to the side of the tent.

"Welcome to Norstein Bekkler's tent of horrors! The spine-tingling show is just about to start! How many Silver Points would you like to spend? ten, forty, or eighty?"

"I have thirty-five points on me, so I guess I'll play the ten-point game." One of the hands floated away from the body and took one of his three ten-point coins, before pulling on a lever that opened the portcullis in the back. Three nearly identical people came out and introduced themselves as Biggs, Wedge, and Piette before shuffling around the room. When they stopped moving, the face asked him which one was Wedge.

He raised an eyebrow and pulled out a card that he used to view the past, watching the three people shuffle themselves, then he pointed to the right person. The face laughed before presenting a strange bear-like doll.

"Is it THAT obvious? This is a Poyozo Doll. It'll spruce up your room and even plays a little tune when you squeeze it!" Luxord took the doll and turned to leave as the three men left. Just before he was out of the tent, one of the floating hands appeared in front of his face. "Please wait a moment." Luxord turned back, an eyebrow quirked. "Don't think I didn't notice your little trick, Mr. Nobody."

"You know what I am?" Luxord asked, preparing to fight.

"Oh, don't worry about it, you aren't the first I've met. I just wanted to let you know that if you try cheating again, I'm going to kick you out without a prize. Have a good day at the fair!"

Luxord relaxed and nodded to him. "Thank you, but I'm not sure I'll be back in. I'm just here to look around."

"I'd ask you to enjoy the doll, but knowing Nobodies..."

"Still, I think I'll keep it. Evidence of a victory." Luxord shook the floating hand and left, seeking out another area to investigate. He returned to the inner area, where there was a bronze bell hanging from an arch. It was ringing, two teenagers laying on the ground as if they had run into each other just moments before, a strange pendant laying on the ground near them.

He watched them for a moment before continuing his recon, inspecting a side area across from where he fought the singing robot. Within was a dance party set to a strange music the singers of which were declaring was a "Jurassic Beat." Luxord made sure to note that they were well connected to their past, remembering songs from ancient times. Passing by the bell again, the teens he had seen before were running by, heading into northern-most section of the fairgrounds, which had been sealed off before.

While the red-haired teen waited for his blonde friend to make a decision about the candy she wanted, Luxord entered the now-open area. Within was a few other people, who seemed to be waiting for some kind of demonstration. On either side of the far side of the area were two strange contraptions, with a purple-haired girls standing on one, and a dirty-blond haired man standing between them. The teens he had passed came in just then and the show began.

Luxord watched as the red-haired boy, who seemed to be the friend of the purple-haired girl, stood upon the device to the left, before he shimmered and was suddenly on the right one. Everyone seemed surprised that the machine had worked, and the boy returned to his blonde companion. She wanted to try it out as well, but as the machine was activating, something strange began to happen. Her pendant started sparkling and Luxord perked up.

_There is a time vortex forming nearby... He watched as the machines began to spark, and the vortex he had noticed forming appearing between the machines. The girl vanished like the boy had, but she reappeared inside the blue vortex instead of on the opposite device. She cried for help and the vortex seemed to close, but Luxord could tell it was still there, just not active. The presenter, told everyone to leave, other than the boy, and Luxord stopped time for a moment to get to a good hiding place to continue watching._

He saw as the boy and his inventor friend recreated the vortex-forming event, before he, too, vanished through it. Luxord was tempted to follow after him and see when the vortex led, but decided to report back on what he had seen so far and ask permission to investigate longer the next time. Perhaps even bring along another member.

It struck him as odd, though, that the whole time he was there, he didn't see a single Heartless.


End file.
